This invention relates to a method and apparatus for distributing mass copies of text and/or images on a novel medium; namely, eggs. This invention further related to using the eggshell of the egg as an advertising or message-bearing medium. This invention further relates to a method and apparatus for imprinting images on eggs prior to sale and/or distribution to the consumer.
Eggs are an ever-present, universally accepted staple that is found in virtually every household. The ability to mass-produce messages and/or images on the shells of the eggs represents a unique and heretofore unexploited opportunity to communicate with countless numbers of people.
As will become apparent, communicated information imprinted on the egg""s shell can be, for example, the name and/or logo of the egg producer, or of the store from which the eggs are purchased, or of a third party paying to advertise on the eggshell. In addition, the name and/or flag of the country that is the source of the egg can be imprinted on the egg for political, economic or charitable identification. Other texts and/or images can be printed including, but not limited to, cartoon characters, images of famous people, recreated works of art and other such indicia, instructions, warnings, and communications pertaining to the egg or to matters other than the egg.
Because eggs are a desirable staple in virtually every country of the world, security warnings and other instructions can be readily distributed in devastated regions, disaster areas, developing countries and the like by imprinting the messages on eggs to be distributed. For the same reason, eggs may serve as an easily distributed carrier for disseminating pharmaceutical and therapeutic agents incorporated within the egg for preventive and/or recuperative medical purposes. Examples of such egg-modifying are vitamins, vaccines, medicines, dietary supplements and the like. Accordingly, it is desirable to imprint colors, images and/or text indicative of the modification, as well as pertinent instructions, directly onto the eggshell to ensure that the eggs are indelibly distinguishable from unmodified eggs regardless of whether the egg becomes separated from its packaging or passes through multiple individuals to the ultimate consumer.
Regardless of the format and application, the egg""s shell is a novel and highly reliable medium for mass communication, since the shell inherently follows the edible portion of the egg throughout substantially the entire distribution chain and is visible to all who handle the egg. For convenience, all of the foregoing types of graphic and informational images and texts are hereinafter referred to as xe2x80x9cpromotional imagesxe2x80x9d regardless of whether the motive for imprinting the eggs is political, commercial, informational, instructional, charitable, promotional, etc.
In accordance with the invention, eggs are preferably positioned on moving conveyor are and manipulated to position the desired region or regions of the eggshell for imprinting contact by an image-bearing tampon. Multi-color images can be produced by sequentially contacting the eggs with a plurality of tampons. Numerous other printing methods may also be employed, as hereinafter described, without departing from the spirit of the invention.
These and other features of the invention will become apparent in the following description of the preferred embodiment of which the drawings form a part.